Support apparatus for the bedridden



March 1, 1966 H. B. FRIED 3,237,215

SUPPORT APPARATUS FOR THE BEDRIDDEN Filed Feb. 5, 1964 INVENTORI HARVEY B. FRIED BY 0%: Km

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,237,215 SUPPORT APPARATUS FOR THE BEDRIDDEN Harvey B. Fried, 115 Lincoln Road, Brooklyn, NY. Filed Feb. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 342,157 2 Claims. (Cl. 327) This invention relates in general to hospital supplies and, more particularly, to a support apparatus for bedridden patients.

An object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive support apparatus for patients who experience difficulty in walking, said apparatus enabling such patients to more comfortably and safely use a bed commode.

Another object of this invention is to provide a support apparatus which enables a bed ridden patient to exert pressure while using a bed commode to aid in elimination.

A further object of this invention is to provide a support apparatus which enables a bed ridden patient to be kept clean more easily, which enables a patient to be easily examined internally while on a bed, and which reduces the heavy lifting of a patient.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a support apparatus which may be adjusted to accommodate patients of different sizes.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable support apparatus which may be more easily used and which may also be used as a back rest.

Many other objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the invention and its practice as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric drawing of a support apparatus according to my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the support apparatus; and

FIGURES 3, 4 and 5 are side views of a modification of the support apparatus set in dilferent positions.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the support apparatus of my invention, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, consists of a base member formed of tubing or any other suitable material. Base member 10 has a transverse member 11 from which the side members 12 extend forward. The ends 13 of the side members 12 curve or extend upward and then rearward back over the side members 12. A roll 14 of compressed sponge rubber or the like may be placed about the transverse member 11.

A support member 15 has an upper transverse member 16 from which the sides 17 extend downward. The sides 17 extend into or telescope into the side tubes 18. Bolts 8 and 9 fix the side tubes 18 to the ends 13 and the side members 12. The bolts 8 extend through the ends 13 and the side tubes 18 and they also pass through one of a number of spaced apertures 6 formed in each of the sides 17. Thus the bolts 8 may be removed and the support member 15 slid up or down in the side tubes 18 to adjust the height of the upper transverse member 16. The bolts 8 are then replaced through another aperture 6 to fix support member 15 in place. A roll 20 of sponge rubber or other suitable padding is placed about the transverse member 16. Open tube ends at the ends of the ends 13 and at the bottom of the side tubes 18 may have suitable plugs fixed in them.

This invention is used as follows. A patient on his back has his legs raised and the support apparatus is placed under them. The ends 13 extend towards the patients head. Thus the patients hands may grasp the ends 13 as his knees have their backs rest on the roll 20. If desired, a pillow or a like support may be placed under a patients back. The patient is then in a comfortable position and may have a bed commode slid beneath him.

3,237,215 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 In many cases it is desirable to support a patient in this manner without a bed commode to allow bed sores on the lower back to heal.

FIGURES 3-5 show a modification of my invention. Clamps 21 and 22 secure strong tension springs 23 between the ends 13 and the side tubes 18. The springs 23 thus hold the support member 15 in a vertical position against stops 24 which are removable and placed by the upper ends of the side tubes 18, as shown in FIGURE 3. The support member 15 may be folded forward, as shown in FIGURE 4, and held in a folded position by a loop 27 of webbing. The loop 27 may be rapidly released or removed by unfastening a snap 28 or the like. When the modification of my invention is in the folded position, it may be more easily placed under a patients legs with less lifting of the patients legs. The springs 23 will then as- Sist in lifting the support member 15 into position for use as shown in FIGURE 3.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the stop 24 may be removed and the support member 15 .pivoted as shown to serve as a back rest. The bolt 8 then extends through suitable apertures to lock the support member 15 in the back rest position as may be seen. When this invention is used as a back rest, the patient leans his back against roll 20 as his legs extend over roll 14.

While I have disclosed my invention in the best forms known to me, it will nevertheless be understood that these are purely exemplary and that modifications in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, and the substitution of equivalents, mechanically and otherwise, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention except as it may be more limited in the appended claims wherein:

I claim:

1. A support apparatus for bedridden patients comprising, in combination, a tubular base bent from a length of tubing and having a transverse member, side members extending forward from said transverse member, and upwardly and rearwardly extending ends of said side members spaced above said side members and forming smooth curves; and a tubular support member having a padded upper transverse member, and sides extending downward from said upper transverse member, said sides of said support member being attached to the side members and the ends of the side members of said base with the smooth curves formed by said ends of said side members extending forward from said sides of said support member to provide hand holds for a user as the backs of the users knees rest on said padded upper transverse member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 with the addi tion of side tubes attached to the side members and the ends of the side members of said base, said upper transverse member having tubular sides adjustably telescoping into said side tubes.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 851,571 4/1907 Timberlake 5-327 X 2,411,278 11/1946 Leavitt 5-327 X 3,086,225 4/1963 Fillingim 5327 3,092,394 6/1963 Burke 5--327 X FOREIGN PATENTS 391,128 10/1908 France.

927,089 4/ 1947 France. 1,196,483 5/1959 France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. SUPPORT APPARATUS FOR BEDRIDDEN PATIENTS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TUBULAR BASE BENT FROM A LENGTH OF TUBING AND HAVING A TRANSVERSE MEMBER, SIDE MEMBERS EXTENDING FORWARD FROM SAID TRANSVERSE MEMBER, AND UPWARDLY AND REARWARDLY EXTENDING ENDS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS SPACED ABOVE SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND FORMING SMOOTH CURVES; AND A TUBULAR SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING A PADDED UPPER TRANSVERSE MEMBER, AND SIDES EXTENDING DOWNWARD FROM SAID UPPER TRANSVERSE MEMBER, SAID SIDES OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER BEING ATTACHED TO THE SIDE MEMBERS AND THE ENDS OF THE SIDE MEMBERS OF SAID BASE WITH THE SMOOTH CURVES FORMED BY SAID ENDS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS EXTENDING FORWARD FROM SAID SIDES OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO PROVIDE HAND HOLDS FOR A USER AS THE BACKS OF THE USER''S KNEES REST ON SAID PADDED UPPER TRANSVERSE MEMBER. 